The present invention relates to a system that permits channeling of freely flowing fluid, such as water from rain collector outlets, along a hillside whose grade or poor accessibility renders traditional solutions too costly.
If the topography of a terrain is suitable (insignificant slope, access to the foot of the slope, etc.), prior art channels are available which generally comprise a semi-circular channel laid in a bed of concrete.
If the grade of the incline is too abrupt, the above solution is no longer applicable and it is necessary to resort to civil engineering projects such as reinforced concrete slideways, openings in chutes, etc.. Such works are difficult to realize and take long to complete, resulting in very high costs.
Numerous solutions have already been conceived which lessen the problems mentioned above. One of these solutions is seen in a series of conduit elements which, partially fitted into one another, form a groove allowing the water to collect and to be channeled without risking erosion of the terrain.
Such conduit elements are inexpensive and light-weight, permitting installation in inaccessible locations and involve few means. However, to serve as a channel supported on a slope, it is necessary that conduit elements of such a system remain attached to one another and adhere to the different grades of the terrain.
To this effect, the conduit element proposed in British Patent No. 2,106,968 has preformed horizontal latticed edges which, once the conduit elements are placed on the terrain, permit vegetation to get entangled in the mesh of the lattice work, assuring, in this manner, retention of each conduit element in the ground.
A second solution for a conduit element is proposed in French Patent No. 2,569,214. To this effect, the two edges of a profiled element in the form of a gutter are provided with fasteners which are perpendicular in relation to the plane of the element and are for anchorage in the soil.
Whatever may be the realized form of a conduit element for a system permitting channeling of drainage fluid, the two preceding solutions proposed for holding the elements in position with respect to one another are based on their anchorage with respect to the support.
Using these facts as a starting point, the applicant has conceived another form for realizing a system for channeling drainage which does not require the individual anchoring of the above-mentioned conduit elements to the ground and thus provides greater flexibility for installation of such system.